“We have agreement with John (Delaney), nothing has been signed up; it was the same as the last time (pre-Euro finals), and I think Roy would want to stay around.

“I’m not his keeper. I’m sure he would like to stay around. He enjoys it, mostly (smiling). Sometimes he doesn’t… maybe a day like today perhaps…no, overall, he’s fine.

“I’m sure he’ll want to stay on and we’ll see. I probably don’t want to talk much more about it as we’ve big games to come. We’ll see.”

Despite some patchy performances, the Irish have invariably found a way to win big games ever since O’Neill took the reins four years ago.

Their 1-0 victory over Italy in Lille at the Euro 2016 finals was an undoubted highlight of the Derry man’s reign followed closely by the side’s surprise 1-0 win over Wales in Cardiff last month that sealed their play-off date with Denmark.

"I think that we have an idea of our strengths and weaknesses that is within our squad,” O’Neill said.

"The idea is to try to cover up the weaknesses as much as you can.

“One of our strengths - and don't get me wrong, it does not get you everything - but we do have a great never-say-die spirit.

“It was very plain when we got the goal against Wales, backs-to-the-wall, the boys throwing themselves around, [Shane] Duffy heading everything that was coming into the box, knowing that it's coming in there and to defend it.

"The prize was so big. I think the experience of being in the Euros, of getting to the Euros. The lads think that the World Cup is so, so important - we might never get there again even some of the boys being so young as they are - that this is an opportunity.

"I don't think that they want to throw it up. When we have our backs to the wall I think that we find something."

Although Denmark was seen as the best possible play-off draw for the Republic, particularly with Italy and Croatia lurking in the same pot, O’Neill insists that their two-legged assignment on November 11 and 14 is “every bit as difficult” as their Euro 2016 play-off with Bosnia two years ago.

“The talk out there [at the play-off draw in Zurich] was that if we avoided Croatia or Italy you'd think we were doing alright and that might be the case.

“Italy, because of their great past, and I know Michael O'Neill was saying Croatia were very, very strong against Northern Ireland in a friendly game some months ago.

“When I look at Denmark now since the draw, they can play a bit.”

The Danish manager Age Hareide was once a team-mate of O’Neill’s at Norwich City back in the early 1980s.

Hareide once rented a room of a house belonging to O’Neill during their time together.

O’Neill quipped: “Yeah, but he didn't pay for it! I had a little place and it was divided up and he was there. I wouldn't have anything nasty to say about him. He's a really good lad.”